The political challenges posed by new communications technology dominated the first plenary session at Cisco’s Public Services Summit 2011 in Oslo.

Delegates from more than 40 countries heard former Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo predict Internet economies will make emerging nations “the dynamos of the global economy in years to come,” and technology theorist Manuel Castells warn, “We do have the technology to improve the wealth of nations, but not institutions adequate to guide the transformation.”

Martin Stewart-Weeks, senior director, Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group, said, “As we move from a centralized to a decentralized world, we must give up a little control in exchange for resilience” – which he defined as “the ability to anticipate, navigate and thrive on coming change … and bounce back to something better.” Read More »

The popular tourist destination, and home to 100,000 residents, has embarked upon its own digital revolution of sorts. In an effort to develop business, bring digital communication to the underserved, and make its citizens feel more connected to the local government, West Palm Beach has pulled out nearly all the technological stops.

To bridge the digital divide between wealthy and impoverished populations, the city has installed free Wi-Fi in many public places, including its famous waterfront and the public library. Two Youth Empowerment Centers now include audio/visual recording labs to encourage teens’ multimedia skills and interests. Additionally, in terms of constituent outreach, a planned “Tele-Town Hall” will enable residents to connect with city officials via phone, local television, and social media.

Experts in government and technology converged on Oslo today from all over the world for the 2011 Cisco Public Services Summit. We’ll be keeping you updated in this blog as the sessions unfold.

Visitors will likely find it frigid in this friendly, meticulously kept capital city of narrow, icebound streets and twinkling holiday lights. Oslo in mid-December offers visitors only about six hours of daylight. But prospects are bright for an engaging three-day Summit starting Friday. This year has been a bumper year for stories highlighting the evolving relationship between government and its citizens – from the Arab Spring protests and regime changes to the Eurozone debt crisis. (The EU Brussels summit on salvaging the Euro runs concurrently with ours.)

Our theme this year is “Empowering the Edge: Boosting Resiliency and Productivity in the Public Sector.” The Friday plenary session features addresses from former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo and Martin Stewart-Weeks, senior director of Cisco’s Internet Business Solutions Group. Stewart-Weeks will discuss new pressure on governments to redevelop methods and practices that leverage new communications technology. The full Summit agenda is here. Read More »

Cisco is presenting the 2011 Public Sector Summit (PSS), December 9 – 11 in Oslo, Norway. This event, now in its tenth year, is a premier gathering for global policy advisors to discuss ways to transform public sector productivity and implement technology to create resilient societies that can meet the challenges of governing in the 21st century.

In our current state of fast-shifting technology, political transformations, connected citizens, and economic uncertainty, the Summit has never been timelier. This year’s event theme is focused on empowerment and features an influential line-up of speakers including:

Mohammed ElBaradei, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and leading Egyptian reform politician who will talk about Egypt’s march towards democracy. He will share his views of what happened during the Arab Spring in Egypt and talk about what he thinks might happen next.

The former President of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo, who will discuss the changing balance of power in the world and the question of whether this change will lead to confrontation or harmony.

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